Don't Go Gently
by BeautifulDisaster0831
Summary: It was a shard of Innocence rooted in a town too insignificant to name. Back then, it forced General Yaegar to leave it behind, refusing to follow him and the other shards to their tragic ends. Now, Allen and company seek to succeed to where he failed, falling head-first into the danger and mystery that shrouds this place.


1.

Bloodied palms. Blinding pain. Somebody screaming his name as he fell to his knees. Oh God, he was shot — those lunatics actually _shot_ him! Were the others okay? Were they down too? He could barely see them from here. They couldn't be…All colour drained from his face. Oh God, no, _please — _it can't end like this! They had to get away, finish the job, bring the Innocence back to Headquarters. It was the last piece — the very _last_ piece General Yaegar died hiding. No, they couldn't die here… they had to…_needed_ to - !

"Get up."

He didn't even have time to look up. Two pairs of strong arms hauled him to his feet, barely pausing to adjust before they took off, the raging villagers snapping at their heels. Allen's bleary eyes found Kanda's steely gaze. He and Lavi were practically carrying him at this point, hefting him forward with every ounce of strength they could muster. Sweat soaked into their clothes and hair along with the rain, gluing their uniforms to their skins. Allen gritted his teeth, trying to push past the pain. He had to get his feet under him. The dead weight was going to be the death of them all — even with Lenalee and Bookman doing their best to shield them from behind. He threw a glare over his shoulder. There was no way he was going to let them go down like this. Not after what they'd been through.

These people were _nothing_ compared to akuma.

Fuelled by a final burst of adrenaline, he surged forward, ripping himself out of his friends' frantic grasp. The pain faded to white noise in the background. Nothing else could matter more than the mission. He stumbled across the border, gasping, followed closely by Lavi, Kanda and the rest. As Komui predicted, the barrier held firm, keeping every other person out.

They shouted, they cursed, they through anything they could get their hands on — all in vain. One by one, they gave up and left.

Allen closed his eyes, shoulders sagging in relief. _Safe at last_. He slumped onto the ground, the last of his borrowed strength leaving him. Wincing, he pressed a trembling hand to his side, feeling for the shaft of the arrow still lodged there. It had to go. He grasped it firmly, bracing himself for the agony to come. A swift hand caught his wrist. He glanced up, coming face-to-face with an agitated Bookman.

"Do you have a death wish, boy?" He hissed, throwing the offending hand to the side. "That thing is the only thing keeping you from bleeding to a premature death!"

Stunned, Allen nodded, meekly settling down to let Lenalee examine the wound. She fixed it with a critical eye, running a gentle hand over the soaking area around it, fine brow creased with worry.

"I don't think it hit anything important," She declared, standing. "But we need to get the arrow out — and we can't do it here."

Bookman stood, nodding to Lavi. He got to his feet, prompt as ever, swinging Allen's arm over his shoulder with as much care as he could afford. Fresh agony blossomed across Allen's side, drawing a gasp from his paling lips. This journey was going to be harder than he thought.

"Hang on, beansprout," Lavi grunted, "Just a little further."

"M-my name…is _Allen._"

Lenalee reached over to squeeze his dangling hand. "We're going to be okay."

If only he had the heart to believe her.

———————————————————————

Someone was trying to break down her door.

She jolted upright, ripping the blankets off her. For a moment, she was still, just listening to the relentless thundering downstairs with her heart in her mouth. It was those hooligans again. She was sure of it. Her fingers curled around the pistol that now lived by her side, the other hand reaching up to banish the last dregs of sleep from her eyes. She needed to be wide awake to teach them a lesson they'd never forget. They were about to find out that unlike the other poor, unfortunate souls they robbed, she was no damsel in distress.

Slowly, surely, she crept to the window, unlatching it with ease. They were huddled outside, shivering in strange black-and-white coats — one girl, two guys and an old man. Strange. Her eyes narrowed. Those thugs never travelled with women. The redhead at the door shifted a little, drawing her eye to that _something_ slung over his shoulder. Her grip around the gun slackened, a gasp falling from her lips. It was a boy, another teenager, with skin almost as pale as his hair, an unfortunately familiar arrow through his side. The next thing she knew, she was stumbling down the stairs, slinging a robe over her shoulders, leaving her only defence on her bedroom floor, all but forgotten.

There was no time to lose. That arrow had to go. The bleeding had to be stopped; he was already lucky to be alive. Where on earth was that bottle of peroxide Mother left for — wait a minute.

This could be a ruse. She'd heard all the stories; the injured leeching off the Good Samaritan stupid enough to open the door. _No_. That was not going to be her. She let her hand slip off the lock. Mother and Father entrusted this house to her and her alone. She couldn't risk losing it to a bunch of strangers. Family always had to come first.

She turned away.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

_Steadfast_. She had to be steadfast. She took a firm step back.

"Please! We just need a place to stay for the night!"

The voice was rough, cracking at the edges; fraught, desperate. _He must've been yelling for hours_, she thought, stuttering to a stop before she caught herself. _No_. She willed her stilled legs to move. They could seek shelter somewhere else. This house had to be protected.

"Our friend's hurt real bad and nobody's letting us in — we need to help him or he'll…"

_Damn_ her conscience.

She unlocked the door, wrenching it open; sealing her fate.

"Come in."

**Author's Note: I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter and are interested to continue on this journey with me **** I've been trying to refine my writing style lately to help translate what's in my head to paper so I'd appreciate any feedback you have for me! Thank you so much for reading! **


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